


Magical Midnight Readings from the Fathomless Fandom Pit

by Lippskinn



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Dark Character, Drug Use, Explicit Language, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Headcanon, Horror, Languages and Linguistics, Medical Conditions, Music, One Shot Collection, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Other, Politics, Psychology, Random & Short, Snippets, Thriller, Violence, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-08-06
Packaged: 2020-05-20 23:10:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 19
Words: 6,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19386382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lippskinn/pseuds/Lippskinn
Summary: A collection of bite-sized, random headcanons and meta (mostly) about the adults in the Harry Potter books. For those who enjoy a slightly darker twist on the characters.





	1. Why we’re not staying for Christmas | Order of the Phoenix Headcanon

**The Weasleys never intended to spend the Christmas holidays at 12 Grimmauld Place and here’s why…**

  
Stolen cauldrons, doxies in the curtains, a screaming portrait and a muttering house elf were just the tip of the iceberg

  
Every time the tone during the meetings grew harsher, Molly begged that the door was still imperturbed

  
Every morning when Molly comes down the stairs to make breakfast, she finds Sirius fast asleep next to the remains of his last supper still in his day clothes 

  
Every time she gets bitten by a jinxed artifact during cleaning

  
Shortly before every full moon when Lupin curls up in his room, Molly prays that the Wolfbane potion is working

  
Some nights when Sirius screams in his sleep and she climbs up the stairs in her nightgown to put a silencing charm on his door, hoping he doesn’t wake up the children

  
Every time she finds a huge, black dog lying on the cold kitchen floor and she covers him with a blanket

 

Every time Sirius gets mad at her for caring for Harry because he’s his godfather and how dare she and then she hears Sirius call Harry James.

  
Every time Molly and Sirius have an argument in the kitchen and Arthur smiles at the children while turning up the radio to drown out the sound

  
Listening to each Order meeting, but still fearing for her family’s safety

  
Accidentally leaving a bunch bed sheets on the floor in the hallway and sending Sirius into a flashback. Then feeling instant regret and at the same time hoping no one saw it.

   
Every time she returns to 12 Grimmauld Place and the house just gets dirtier. Because how hard can it be to do the dishes (it’s just a wand wave, right)?

  
Every time Molly goes to check on Remus and Sirius and she finds them sitting in the kitchen smoking and drinking

  
Every time she smiles through gritted teeth


	2. What’s in the Trolley? | Marauders Headcanon

I like to imagine the marauders living an absolutely boring, mundane life and going about their normal days doing normal activities. So imagine you’re a regular muggle checking out the guy in front of you at the cashiers because let’s be honest, someone’s shopping list tells you a lot already...

**Remus Lupin**

  * A whole stack of chocolate
  * A newspaper 
  * Two bottles of cheap beer
  * A loaf of bread
  * A single jar of marmalade
  * A can of beans



-  Remus shuffles into the store with his cardigan and corduroys carrying a linen shopping bag. He knows exactly where everything is because he’s basically always buying the same items. Everything is paid with small coins he keeps in his pocket. 

**Sirius Black**

  * A bottle of coke
  * A bag of crisps
  * A magazine about motorbikes
  * A box of eggs (because let’s face it, he makes the best fried eggs and it’s basically the only thing he can cook without burning the house down or drowning it in ketchup)
  * A box of sweets
  * A pack of cigarettes
  * Everything you need for a full English Breakfast



\- Sirius casually swaggers into the store wearing jeans and a T-Shirt with a print on it. He usually forgets his shopping bag and then just proceeds to take everything home in skinny plastic bags. Everything is paid in large bank notes. 

**Peter Pettigrew**

  * A bunch of vegetables 
  * A lot of coffee
  * Pasta or rice with ready-made sauce
  * A pack of apples (that end up rotting on the kitchen counter)
  * A TV Guide
  * A bottle of red wine



\- Peter walks into the store with a clear plan and compares each brand thoroughly. He never sticks to his shopping list and everything is paid to the cent. He crams everything into his Vauxhall Corsa that is way too small for him. 

**James and Lily**

  * Nappies (looots of them)
  * Meat, vegetables, fruits and other foods to feed an entire army 
  * Cat food
  * A sports magazine
  * A toy for Harry
  * Random items that unintentionally end up in the trolley 



\- James and Lily rush into the store pushing Harry’s pram and hurrying through every aisle in the store. They never make a shopping list; they decide spontaneously what they need and half the store ends up in their trolley. 

**Severus**

  * Some good black tea (loose)
  * A box of biscuits to dip into his tea
  * Some cheap magazine for light reading
  * Laundry detergent (without perfumes)
  * An eclectic collection of things that he needs for work all written down on a small piece of paper



\- Snape walks into the store, carefully checking all items on his list. Sometimes he checks out the offers and calculates the prices. Occasionally, he will buy items that are not on the list and greets the girl at the cashiers with a polite down-nod. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [What’s in the Trolley? | Marauders Headcanon](https://lippskinn.tumblr.com/post/173670539367/whats-in-the-trolley-marauders-headcanon)


	3. The Dementor’s Disease and Chronic Dementor’s Disease

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I noticed that some of the symptoms that Harry experienced when the Dementors came close, resembled those of a generalized seizure. And so far the side of Dementors resembling depression has been widely explored, but from what is in the books, there are actually three stages of the “Dementor’s Disease”, plus a chronic variant of the disease. Here’s what I found in the books. **Warning: Please do not read past if you are easily triggered!**

**Stage 1 - Anxiety & Depression**

> “I felt weird”, said Ron, “Like I’d never be cheerful again […] "Ginny was shaking like mad though”  _POA (The Dementor)_ > 
> 
> He felt draint and strangely empty  _PoA (The Patronus)_

We were basically told by JKR herself that the Dementors are an allegory for depression, although the descriptions in the books are pretty inaccurate. So I’ll take her word for it that the mild stage of the condition is basically Depression. Everyone is affected by this to some degree when they meet Dementors.

**Stage 2 - Seizure Disorders**

> Harry felt his own breath catch in his chest. […] Harry’s eyes rolled up into his head. He couldn’t see. […] Someone was slapping his face. […] Harry opened his eyes. […] He seemed to have slid out of his seat onto the floor. Hermione and Ron were kneeling next to him […]. Harry felt very sick […] He felt cold sweat on his face. […] “I thought you were having a fit or something.”, said Ron […] You went sort of ridgid and fell out of your seat and started twitching. […] [Harry] felt weak and shivery, as though he was recoverying from a bad boutof flu; he also felt the beginning of shame.  _POA (The Dementor)_

This paragraph describes the phases of a generalized tonic-clonic seizure pretty well.

The  _tonic_  phase where the body goes stiff and the muscles tighten, breath is restricted, sometimes followed by groaning or a scream. The _ clonic _ phase where the body starts twitching. The  _post-ictal_  phase where the person regains consciousness, often they feel washed out. This phase can last up to hours or even days. Harry goes though all of these phases and we learn he is very severely affected by the Dementors. The reactions by the bystanders are also pretty accurate: Ron slapping Harry or people standing over or kneeling next to the person.  **Fun fact:**  Seizures are called like that because people used to think that the sufferer was possessed by a demon or bad enity. Also, the phase leading up to a seizure is called Aura, which reminds me of the cold creeping into the person when the Dementors approach.

**Stage 3 - Agony and Terminal Illness**

> Too weak to move, sick and shaking  _PoA (The Dementor’s Kiss)_
> 
> As long as your brain and heart are still working. But you’ll have no sense of self anymore, no memory […] There is no hope at all of recovery.  _PoA (The Patronus)_

Actually, we don’t get a lot of information about what the kiss feels like, but you can basically insert any late-stage disease here. You name it.

**Chronic Dementor’s Disease**

> A mass of filthy hair hung to his elbows. […] deep, dark sockets […] the waxy skin stretched so tightly over the bones of his face. […] yellow teeth
> 
>  he became more prone to what Mrs Weasley called “fits of the sullens”
> 
> Azkaban had hollowed Bellatrix Lestrange’s face making it gaunt an skull-like

I see the chronic condition more like a long-time exposure to Dementors. From the text, we see that the victim usually is thin, gaunt and has neglected self-care. Also, Molly’s choice of words is very peculiar considering the three stages of the disease if taken the literal meaning. We could see Sirius suffering a couple of health issues, but I can’t quite confirm if they are due to long-time exposure, since we don’t know if anyone shared them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [The Dementor’s Disease and Chronic Dementor’s Disease](https://lippskinn.tumblr.com/post/174889873867/i-felt-weird-said-ron-like-id-never-be)


	4. Peter Pettigrew Headcanon

_I noticed there are so little headcanons for Peter and the characterization we get in the books comes from biased sources.  I feel he’s always been reduced to two qualities: being fat and stupid. And his motives are never actually explained. So I’m trying to actually give him some depth._

Has massive OCD (needs to check everything thrice, which is often mistaken for confusion)

His favorite subject is Ancient Runes

  
His favorite band is Queen and his guilty pleasure will always be  _The Monkees_

  
Always wears his clothes one size too big which makes him look sloppy

  
Only got rid of the mop-top when he graduated

  
Got a small Ford Escort after school and was the only marauder with a car

  
Enjoys cooking

  
Is an amazing listener

  
Not a coward, but cautious (only agrees with a plan after proper consideration)

  
Made serious effort to keep the Marauders from falling apart after graduation (frequent visits, inviting everyone for dinner, sending owls to Remus, checking on James and Lily, listening to Sirius) and began feeling like the man in the middle

  
Was never as eager to fight as James and Sirius and thought they were blinded by their hunt for the next crazy adventure

  
Did not join the Deatheaters out of fear for Voldemort, but due to the fear of joining a suicide mission when staying in the Order (“What  _exactly_  are we here for?”, “How are we supposed to fight Voldemort?” “Anybody got a plan?”) Peters concerns where always put aside

  
He actually cared for the people that have lost their lives for the Order

  
Felt angry when Sirius suggested to use him as the secret keeper because he saw him as “less obvious choice”

  
Framing Sirius felt like pure satisfaction

  
After hearing the prophecy, Peter did not think the Potters would lose their lives that night (“The boy will save them right? And Voldemort will fall.”)

  
Felt guilty for betraying James and Lily, but not for framing Sirius and was already too distant with Remus to actually care

  
Was genuinely scared of the Deatheaters' wrath after he brought about Voldemort’s downfall

  
He re-joint Voldemort in the hopes to appease the other Deatheaters and Voldemort. At least he could be seen out on the streets again.

I have so many thoughts about the Marauders during the First Wizarding War and I think that Sirius’ account of the betrayal is not very accurate since he’s had poor judgment of people (e.g. his brother, Kreacher) before.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Peter Pettigrew Headcanon](https://lippskinn.tumblr.com/post/175997025032/peter-pettigrew-headcanon)


	5. Why the Order Doubted Sirius | A Sirius Black Headcanon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is quite a personal story, but it relates to Sirius and his relationship with the Order pretty well, I think.

I had a friend and we used to work at the same organisation (a bit like the Order but not in a paramilitary sense) and one day the police came to our headquarter and we found out that he had committed a really terrible, disgusting crime. He got sentenced and is still in prison for that.

Were there warning signs? Maybe. In hindsight everything may make sense and just like Remus and the rest of the Wizarding world will have thought so many things made sense in hindsight, they always do and if not you will find an instance that makes sense to you. That is sad, but we did it as well until he became this monster in our minds which he’s (probably) not been while he was still our friend.

While my friend never hurt anyone from our organisation, let alone kill one, I don’t want to imagine if he had because, like this, the monster had two faces: the one he showed at the organisation and the one that apparently he showed outside of the organisation. And I imagine it absolutely would have wrecked me or any of us had he suddenly showed that face in the organisation and killed one of us.

So now he’s in prison and none of us has any insight in the investigation apart from what the papers wrote and since we all were left out of the case it feels like he might just as well not have had one at all and the papers just paint the picture of an unrecognisable monster and it makes us feel like we never knew him.

So, eventually, he will have done his time and be released from prison and not escaped like Sirius did, which to me personally would signalise a testimony to his guilt (speaking as an outsider).

And also eventually we will meet again. Now, the reactions to that are plenty from what I’ve heard: from very extreme hate to forgiveness. It reminds me of Hagrid, Fudge, McGonagall and Mme Rosmerta talking in the Three Broomsticks. You’ve spent years with that kind of talk and the idea of your friend committing such a hateful crime that it becomes hard to see what was before.

But what do you do when you meet again as all the other Order members did? Even though he tells you he is innocent and has been wrongfully imprisoned? You’ve now lived with this terrible image of your friend in your head that has eradicated all good memories. You never saw evidence first hand, you needed to believe the papers and every rumour.

And where is that evidence now? You might try to want to think the best of people (or maybe not) but in the back of the mind, my friend and Sirius will be the monster that you have created for yourself.

It is hard and time may heal wounds, but you’ve got to have the mental strength of an Occlumens to forgive and eradicate that image.

And I feel sorry for Sirius or anyone therefore who has been wrongfully imprisoned and is currently working to build that trust with people.

I was 19 when my friend was sent to prison and he was 21.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Why the Order Doubted Sirius | A Sirius Black Headcanon](https://lippskinn.tumblr.com/post/178596801997/why-the-order-doubted-sirius-a-sirius-black)


	6. The Business with Wolfbane Potion

I have this headcanon that Wolfbane potion doesn’t actually help a werewolf, in fact, I find it outrageous that it is even given to anyone suffering from that condition.

So, wolfbane potion is a potion that helps the werewolf keeping sane during transformations. It has to be ingested every day or it cannot take effect. It is not a cure for the illness and is difficult to brew.

Before I continue, there is similar medication in the real world. Medication that works in the same fashion and/or has similar effects. Not all medication is a cure and I acknowledge that.

Several problems derive from the way that the potion works: a) the sufferer needs to have access to the potion 24/7. b) the werewolf will only know if the potion works correctly after the transformation; therefore, potions brewed, taken or ingested incorrectly may not be noticeable c) the sufferer becomes very dependant upon the potion supplier, once he finds someone who brews a reliable potion

The potion’s name can be interpreted in two ways: 1) it contains wolfbane, i.e. Aconite, a poisonous plant 2) it literally is the wolf’s bane.

If it contains aconite, which is a poison, it suggests that the taker is intoxicated with doses of poison, which suppress symptoms of the disease and may eventually compromise the lifespan of the taker.

If the second case is true, then it is literally designed to eventually kill the wolf.

In my opinion, this potion is almost not affordable for the average wizard because it is highly unreliable, highly dependable and if you don’t have a Severus Snape at hand you’ll have to rely on wizards that either charge a lot and/or are not reliable to supply you with a working brew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [The Business with Wolfbane Potion](https://lippskinn.tumblr.com/post/179597383632/the-business-with-wolfbane-potion)


	7. Asymmetrical Warfare

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was reading a lot of papers about game theory, which is when this chapter was written. Some experiences with power are personal, so I can only speak from my point of view on leadership and power. Feel free to discuss anything though.

Dumbledore is probably one of the most controversial characters in the Potterverse and for a long time, I’ve had trouble pinpointing what made him so unlikable to me; therefore, I wanted to figure out why I just could not forgive him. It all began when I read an [article](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fdev.jeremysilman.com%2Fshop%2Fpc%2FCreating-the-Harry-Potter-Chess-Position-p3692.htm&t=N2MxMjA0Nzc3ZWM5NGZkOGVlZGZjODNhNTNhM2I4MDAyMmEyMzdmNyxxcW9PQ251Vw%3D%3D&b=t%3Am-wZIX2ho_YjlU3vYgI66A&p=https%3A%2F%2Flippskinn.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F177271422377%2Fmy-journey-to-forgiving-dumbledore-part-1-the&m=1) about chess in Harry Potter and I began examining his action from a different viewpoint.

The game of chess takes up a big part in the books. Wizard chess is described as brutal and barbaric and that’s when it struck me:  **Dumbledore is playing chess in times of war**!

Might this lead me to the conclusion why I found him so despicable?

What if Dumbledore is simply a  **warlord in an asymmetrical** war? Like any strategist micro- and macro-controlling military units? The war factor is important and I think that as a first-world kid I underestimated it for a very long time.

So, who what is the chess board, what are the pieces and who’s playing?

Interesting to note is that we’re dealing with a game of chess that has partial observability (not all information on the chess board as readily available), e.g. Kriegspiel ( _ger._  war game). Therefore, Dumbledore knows his own but not the opponent’s pieces. Sirius said in GoF that there was a lot of uncertainty, people didn’t know who was a death eater and who wasn’t. This is coined with the term “Fog of War”, which comes naturally in a war situation where perfect information can never be attained. Another factor is the time factor: moves can happen simultaneously and in real-time, i.e. the opponent might move at the exact same time as you. 

We’re obviously in need of a very good strategist and I get that not everyone could have done the job.

Who are the pieces then? What are the resources that Dumbledore has?

Firstly, there’s the Order as primary fighters; they are the pawns in the game. They set the flavor of the strategy, they are poking in the fog and they are the first ones to go in an attack situation. They are plenty and they are necessary for tactics (short-term spatial and temporal reasoning), but they are not going to win the game. It is absolutely important that these people are loyal to the cause. They are however just loosely coupled (they receive information from a distant information source, but cannot directly access it). They also require a low level of protection.

Obviously, I’m not a fan that there have to be people fighting with weapons and eventually losing their lives in a war, but that is just the nature of the whole thing and I cannot blame the nature of the war on one man although it’ll make many things much easier.

The next level of units are units with tighter coupling: they receive most information directly from Dumbledore; they have very high loyalty. A good example is Snape. These people help with strategy (long-term spatial and temporal reasoning). They can cross the opponent’s line and help lift some of the fog. These people require a high level of protection and they eventually provide information crucial to the outcome of the game. These people are not necessarily loyal to the cause; they act on their own agenda, but they are loyal to Dumbledore. They constitute the knights, bishops, and towers.

This also happens in every war. There are spies and military ranks. One might want to argue about Dumbeldore’s methods, but that is not the subject of today. Strategy-wise it is a means to reach his goal and spies are obviously useful.

His queen in the game is literally his position in the school that enables him to collect information, train new soldiers, harvest knowledge and gives him cover and endless moving options. Hogwarts is the instrument/ weapon that strikes as a very last resort. It provides shelter and is the last bastion. It has one of the highest levels of protection and coupling only exceeded by the King, i.e. Harry.

His position at Hogwarts is merely questionable and one might argue that it definitely leads to a conflict of interest. I cannot lead an army and at the same time want to educate people about the dangers of war. I get that there are military schools, but at least make it obvious what kind of school you want to lead. On the other hand, education is the most valuable weapon in times of war.

Harry is Dumbledore’s secret weapon. The key to the outcome of the entire game. He should technically enjoy the highest degree of coupling and protection.

Note I said technically. But also not subject of today. He’s sabotaging his own plan with this.

Finally, who’s playing? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can’t see where it keeps its brain. Literally, everyone could be playing.

All in all, I understand the need for a brilliant strategist as a leader in times of war and he surely handles that well. I cannot blame him for having a plan and that’s clearly not it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [My Journey to Forgiving Dumbledore](https://lippskinn.tumblr.com/post/177271422377/my-journey-to-forgiving-dumbledore-part-1-the)


	8. Fight or Flight | Remus and Sirius Headcanon

**Sirius**

  
Dogs that bark don’t bite. Mostly it’s just barking, but he’d never attack

  
Extremely short-fused

  
Irascible

  
Gets way too close up in your face when he’s angry

  
Can be very intimidating

  
Likes to withdraw after a fight

  
Anger is his greatest driving force

Revengeful

  
Takes him ages to calm down

  
Hardly ever steps down from a fight because he usually manages to intimidate his opponent

  
The air is never quite cleared after a fight, anger lingers like a poisonous gas

  
Very confident when he feels superior (e.g. around Snape), very volatile when he feels inferior ( e.g. with Molly)

  
Fights very loudly (lots of yelling) 

  
Only gets physical to demonstrate power, but never with the aim to knock out the opponent  
  
 ****

**Remus**

Very hard to provoke

  
If provoked, he can be absolutely lethal (he bites)

Likely to throw stuff or get physical

  
Never yells, but rather raises his voice

  
Talks too much when he’s angry 

  
Anger is absolutely destructive for him 

  
Attacks quickly and violently with the aim to hurt or even kill

  
Attacks out of fear or the feeling of being exposed

  
Cannot hold grudges

  
His anger is underestimated

  
Gives you a very subtle warning sign that he’s about to lash out and if you miss it, you better hide

  
Will only attack once and then retreat

  
The air is cleared once he’s erupted

  
Prolonged anger will eat him up (drinking, sulking, swearing) if he doesn’t find a way to vent it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Fight or Flight | Remus and Sirius Headcanon](https://lippskinn.tumblr.com/post/181573666592/fight-or-flight-remus-and-sirius-headcanon)


	9. Joke Shop Headcanons

The Weasleys printed the standard form contract on the walls of the toilet stalls for people to finally read them

  
Their shop offers discounts for anyone who solemnly swears he’s up to no good

  
Some of their inventions are used in medicine, law enforcement or other fields, but can only be purchased in their shop

  
It is the only shop in Diagon Alley that’s opened 24/7

  
Customers receive life long guarantee and support for Weasley products

  
They bought Potter’s Hair Potions back

  
They are currently working on a way to mass produce wolfbane potion

  
Dolores Umbridge has a life long ban from their joke shop but receives a box of “chocolates” every Christmas especially delivered to her cell in Azkaban

  
They were never able to reproduce anything like the marauder’s map (such instruments were declared illegal under wizarding privacy laws)

  
Rats are forbidden from entering the shop (the Kneazles sold at the shop will take care of that)

  
Kneazles are from Mrs. Figg’s breeding

  
George finally bought Zonko’s Joke shop and dedicated it to his brother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Joke Shop Headcanons](https://lippskinn.tumblr.com/post/178283619027/joke-shop-headcanons)


	10. Conversations Part I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A collection of short dialogs between different characters

_Remus is queuing at the job centre._

**Social worker :**  

Any past occupations or activities?

 

**Remus :**  

I’ve been working for a secret Order. As a spy, you know?

 

**Social worker :**  

*blank* Think you’re funny, do you?

 

 

###  **Spitting Image**

  
_Andromeda and Sirius meet for the first time after GoF._

  
**Andromeda:**

 I know you don't want to hear it, but you look so like your father.

  
**Sirius:**  

It's called inbreeding.

  
**Andromeda:**  

Except your sense of humour, of course. I've missed you, you know.

 

 

  

###  **Agony Aunt**

 

**Pregnant Tonks:**  

Merlin's beard! I'm so glad I can finally complain about being pregnant! My back is killing me!

  
**Andromeda:**  

Is your husband already sick of your complaints?

  
**Tonks:**  

Nah, I feel so silly complaining about swollen feet, when he has to go through these transformations. I can already see his smug face while I'm screaming profanities at him during labour.

 

  

 

###  **Honest**

 

 

**Narcissa:**    
How do you live with yourself, Peter?

**Peter:**  
 I'd rather not.

**Lucius:**  
 Then what's keeping you?

**Peter:**    
I'm afraid of death.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Remus at the Job Centre](https://lippskinn.tumblr.com/post/181420080472/remus-is-queuing-at-the-job-centre-social-worker)   
>  [Spitting Image](https://lippskinn.tumblr.com/post/182687440592/spitting-image)   
>  [Agony Aunt](https://lippskinn.tumblr.com/post/183222015362/agony-aunt)   
>  [Honest](https://lippskinn.tumblr.com/post/185063763047/honest)


	11. How Harry’s Children Are Cursed

Before Cursed Child was released, I had a very different idea of what the book was going to be about.

I honestly thought the curse was linked to the names that Harry had given to his children.

Since fate and prophecies play such an important part in the books and names often assign fate to characters like Albus, Severus, Sirius, Remus or Minerva.

I thought that by passing on those names to his children with the purpose of carrying the legacy of their namesakes, respectively, the fate would pass on to the child.

In Greek Mythology, the Moirai weave your destiny and bestow you with good and bad upon childbirth until your dying day, when they would cut the threads of your fate.

This can be compared to Wyrd in the Anglo-Saxon culture.

I literally thought that there was some kind of curse in place that would only take action if the person’s life was “cut short”

that there was the possibility to pass on the threads of his fate to a child if you named them with the intention of carrying the legacy of that person.

By that, you literally curse the child because it carries the “life debt” of the person it is named after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [How Harry’s Children Are Cursed](https://lippskinn.tumblr.com/post/182631031997/how-harrys-children-are-cursed)


	12. The Marauder's Era Told in 70s Songs

1971 –

“In the Summer Time” by Mungo Jerry is the jam of the year and James, Sirius, Peter, Remus, Lily, and Severus start their first year in Hogwarts. Lily’s big role model is Karen Carpenter and Severus is embarrassed whenever she jokingly serenades him with “Close to you” while Sirius cannot understand why Remus doesn’t like “Bad Moon Rising”. James tries really hard to pretend he likes “Yellow River” and is shocked to find out that Severus likes David Bowie too. Peter is still sporting the mop-top and is baffled that none of his friends like the Beatles.   
  
1972 -

Between the Troubles and Pride marches, a young Regulus Black whistles to the tune of "All the Young Dudes" making his family proud while the girls in the dormitory "kick off their dancing shoes and dig those rhythm and blues". Severus' head is secretly bobbing to the guitar of "Paranoid" and James is trying to grow a mullet à la Rod Stewart. Peter is still sulky the Monkees were fake and Remus is mouthing the words of "A Horse With No Name".   
  
1973 -

On their first Hogsmeade weekend, Peter is testing his alcohol limits and shouts “Piano Man” from the top his lungs on their way home. Regulus has successfully sneaked a Lynyrd Skynyrd album into Twelve Grimmauld Place and Lily is convinced "You're So Vain" must have been written about James Potter. Severus suffers his first heartbreak to "Angie" and Remus' cover is blown while "Knocking On Heaven's Door" plays on the radio. James discovers Pink Floyd and listens to "Breathe" before his first match while Sirius tries to learn how to play "Smoke on the Water". 

1974 -

Sirius' childhood bedroom is now plastered with motorbikes and a life-sized poster of Suzie Quatro while his brother collects magazine cut-outs of bikini girls in his bedside table. James has smashed the post of his four-poster bed while demonstrating "Kicks as fast as lightning" and Lily refuses to face her Waterloo. Remus savagely loops the chorus of "Seasons in the Sun" knowing it drives Peter to the edge of insanity and Peter repays it by only playing the intro of The Marcels' "Blue Moon".   
  
1975 -

The Marauders repeatedly failed to perform a decent version of "Bohemian Rapsody" sober and Severus refuses to admit he likes Pink Floyd as much as James Potter does. "Fox on the Run" is played on their first night out as animagi and the boys feel invincible. Regulus listens to "Space Oddity" after his brother ruined another family dinner and Lily can no longer stand by her man as Severus grows more and more suspicious of Remus. Sirius is forever banned to play "Woman in Black" or any song with two chords.  
  
1976 -

Remus finds new courage with a little help from his friends and is not ashamed to sing "Under the Moon of Love" to an embarrassed Peter. Lily is still the Dancing Queen with almost seventeen and James is saving all his kisses for her. Remus is disappointed in Sirius who lately seems to prefer to be "The Joker" and James tries to build his life around him as his best friend's life crashes down in a "Landslide". Severus would love to love Lily again as he finds her already taken and decides that love is just a state of mind.   
  
1977 -

As their school days draw to a close, everyone dances to the Boogie and prepares to go their own way. Muggles are fighting against evil powers with that bold "boom-boom-clap" trying to never break the chain. Regulus is Walking on the Wild Side and Sirius moves "Next door to Alice". James and Lily are getting it on and Peter realises he lives in a "Wild World" while Remus first tries that "Whiskey in a Jar". Severus still wants Lily only and cannot face himself alone again.   
  
1978 -

The Order is fighting hard to "Stay Alive" but they feel like "Heroes" while they die one by one. Remus was a "Rolling Stone" and as he sat by the watchtower he knew there was no way out of there. Peter had already joined "Oliver's Army" fearing the reaper. Only James and Sirius were still caught in the spotlight, still dancing in the moonlight. Lily is sure James in the one she wants and Severus wishes it was yesterday once more.   
  
1979 -

Regulus knows his time has come, London's calling, while James and Lily are dancing to "We've Only Just Begun". Peter sings the "Logical Song" and Sirius is still raising "Anarchy in the UK".   
  
1980 -

Ever since James and Lily went into hiding, James is feeling numb and Lily, Peter, Remus, and Sirius are left to walk up and down, banging their hearts against the wall.   
  
1981 -

Does anybody here remember Vera Lynn?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [The Marauder's Era Told in 70s Songs](https://lippskinn.tumblr.com/post/178019223312/the-marauders-era-told-in-70s-songs)


	13. How the Order almost blew their cover | A Headcanon

In Ootp Kreacher frantically tries to save precious heirlooms from being thrown out by the Order and I think that this might have prevented them from making a grave mistake.

Why?

Mundungus has had an eye on any of those objects ever since Sirius started throwing them out. Had they thrown them out, Mundungus would have been the first one to rummage those trash bags and sell those items on the market.

Now, I’m sure he would earn a nice amount of money with any item that has the Black family crest on them, but there’s the problem: they have the crest on them!

How else will you get those items if not from a family member? As soon as those objects pop up at Borgin and Burks, other purebloods or death eaters will know that the family is either selling their property and is probably broke or that their households are being sold/used/raided/etc.

It’s a safety mechanism among the Sacred Twenty Eight and a very effective and subtle one.

Therefore, had Sirius succeeded in throwing them out earlier, the death eaters would have been alarmed immediately.

After Sirius’ death, everyone knew of course that the family line had ended and hundreds of items popped up on the market and I’m sure Mundungus made a nice amount of money.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [How the Order almost blew their cover | A Headcanon](https://lippskinn.tumblr.com/post/182738228272/how-the-order-almost-blew-their-cover-a)


	14. Haunted | A Grimmauld Place Headcanon

The most haunted place in Britain wasn’t the shrieking shack, it was easily Twelve Grimmauld Place  
The question was, did Sirius see and hear those things simply because he knew how it had been?

  
Sometimes he’d turn around because he saw someone out of the corner of his eye despite being all alone with Kreacher  
Or hear someone call his name

  
He was used to hearing the sound of steps or someone coming down the stairs

  
He was afraid of climbing the stairs to his room at night because he feared the sight of his brother watching him from his bedroom door casually leaning against the door frame

  
Some days he’d see the silhouette of his father watching the street below from the windows of the sitting room arms crossed behind his back

  
His mother’s voice was constantly ringing in his ears up to the point where he’d swear the portrait was messing with him

  
There were always voices talking somewhere; whispering, muttering.

  
Kreacher talking to the portrait or thin air obviously taking orders from an invisible entity

  
On top of that, the place was always cold and drafty

  
Sirius always kept quiet about his “hallucinations” because he’d seen ghosts at Hogwarts and these weren’t ghosts

  
They would chuck him right back into Azkaban if they knew, he thought

  
Andromeda refused to set foot into Grimmauld Place again but couldn’t forbid her daughter to do so

  
Sirius once confided in her and asked if she felt these things too

  
After all, she knew the family and she knew how things had been

  
But she just shook her head and said,

“ The only ghost I saw was you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Haunted | A Grimmauld Place Headcanon](https://lippskinn.tumblr.com/post/184223095563/haunted-a-grimmauld-place-headcanon)


	15. Supermax | Azkaban Headcanons

Azkaban is a loud place.

The screaming, banging and crying of prisoners never ceases

  
Despite the noises, prisoners sit in total isolation.

  
A small window in the door is the only contact to the outside world.

  
Azkaban is a filthy place.

There are no toilets, the excrements are cleaned by magic (if someone is capable of non-verbal spells)

Food is shipped to the island once a week and the prisoners are put on a minimal diet (tab water, bread, pickled onions, salted butter).

A prisoners meal costs the Ministry 5£ a week.

  
There is no medical care for prisoners, however, there is a cemetery

  
Prisoners can never have visitors

  
All personal belongings are taken from the prisoner upon arrival

  
The Ministry does not offer a rehabilitation program, some prisoners are held in Azkaban as a precaution

  
The minister inspects the prison every year, mostly to check if someone died in the meantime and to avoid nasty paperwork

  
There are no studies that examine the effects of long-term dementor exposure

  
The prison is still operated.

Closing it was harder than Kingsley or Hermione had hoped

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Supermax | Azkaban Headcanons](https://lippskinn.tumblr.com/post/182300548852/supermax-azkaban-headcanons)


	16. Valentine’s For A Rat | A Peter Pettigrew Headcanon

In his 6th year, Peter finally gathered his courage to ask someone out.

They met at Madame Puddifoot’s He picked his date up from the common room and brought flowers He was wearing a shirt and a pullover with flares.

His hair was slicked back and his shoes polished James and Sirius had given him lots of advice, but he wasn’t too sure if any of it would work in his favour

He held doors for his date, pulled out the chair and paid the bill

They talked about school, quidditch, music and the weather

He was so nervous that he must have asked his date a hundred times if everything was alright

He asked himself a couple of times what James and Sirius would do, but he figured being bold didn’t suit him

He followed Remus advice though and asked his date to move on to the Three Broomsticks after coffee

His date declined politely and he walked the person home, offered his jacket and they returned to the castle

“So would you like to meet sometime?” he asked as they were about to say goodbye

“Eventually.”

He wasn’t sure what it meant, but it spawned some vivid discussions among the friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Valentine’s For A Rat | A Peter Pettigrew Headcanon](https://lippskinn.tumblr.com/post/182823500627/valentines-for-a-rat-a-peter-pettigrew)


	17. Runs in the family | Walburga Black Headcanons

Walburga was the oldest of her siblings and the last to get married

  
Walburga was not exactly a beauty and so her family forced her to marry her cousin before she ended up alone

  
Nothing was ever perfect for her. She said she had a very clear vision of what she wanted

  
Orion learned to ignore her bickering and turned to work whenever she had “these moments”

  
Walburga always envied her brother Cygnus for his perfect life and family

  
She had always hoped for a daughter. A girly-girl with long hair and stereotypical girl’s interests

  
She never got over the nagging feeling that Sirius was just not the child she had wanted no matter what he did

  
She was always a bit more lenient with Regulus because he was mama’s boy

  
She clung very hard to every pureblood standard to uphold her perfect family image

  
Whenever something did not go her way she would blackmail people by crying

  
She’s never mad, she’s just disappointed

  
Sirius “broke her heart” when he called her out on her bullshit

  
She had terrible separation anxiety and when her husband and favourite son died, she sank deeper into madness

Her brother cut ties with her after she sent him a howler telling him she hated him for his perfect family after her husband died

  
Walburga spent a lot of time with Kreacher when she felt like she had no one to turn to and so the elf because of her closest confidante

Everything was always someone else’s fault

  
When Sirius dared to speak up she ran to Orion crying how her ungrateful son broke her heart and Orion would punish the boy on her behalf

  
She would show Sirius in very subtle ways that she favoured Regulus, e.g. by not remembering Sirius’ friends' names but all of Regulus’ friends' names

  
She was always overly interested in Sirius’ or Regulus’ love life because she hoped for a daughter-in-law

  
The day Sirius left they got into another stupid fight which ended in Walburga crying, Orion forcing him to apologise to his mother and Sirius insisting she apologised instead

  
Walburga was so bitter that she didn’t get her way that she burned Sirius off the tapestry despite her husband’s arguing

  
She was so proud of Regulus finally getting into “politics” at least that’s what she called it

  
Spoke German whenever she got mad

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Runs in the family | Walburga Black Headcanons](https://lippskinn.tumblr.com/post/180934001894/runs-in-the-family-walburga-black-headcanons)


	18. The Betrayal | A Peter Pettigrew Headcanon

On the 31st of October 1981, Peter met with Voldemort at his apartment so they could exchange the whereabouts of the Potters

  
Voldemort left without thanking Peter and headed for the Potters

  
Peter closed the door behind him

  
He checked his watch; he had an hour at best before the Order would find him

  
He began hastily packing a few things into his suitcase and stored it close to the door to make a run at any moment

  
He checked everything in the house thrice (stove, windows, doors, etc)

  
Knowing he’d not come back ever

  
Tears were streaming down his face and his skin felt like it was crawling

  
Peter could see his entire life flash before his eyes

  
He muttered a thousand sorries and clung to the slight possibility that James was still alive

  
He watched the clock run outstanding transfixed in the middle of his kitchen

  
He checked everything again and again but it wasn’t easing his mind

  
Finally, he decided to take a bath

  
He scrubbed and scrubbed forgetting about the time and frankly not caring what would happen next

  
Two hours had passed, his skin was soaked and he’d run out of tears

  
He got dressed, headed down the stairs, took his suitcase and heard the backdoor being kicked open

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [The Betrayal | A Peter Pettigrew Headcanon](https://lippskinn.tumblr.com/post/184695685312/the-betrayal-a-peter-pettigrew-headcanon)


	19. Home Front | A First Wizarding War Headcanon

Lily rocking baby Harry during Order meetings and having to leave every time he starts to cry or get hungry

  
Lily visiting her parents or in-laws with baby Harry whenever James is on a mission or Bathilda is away

  
Lily eventually having to decide between going on missions for the Order or caring for the baby and not feeling like a valuable member in turn 

  
Lily visiting Alice when their husbands are on a mission  ~~and vowing to raise their children together should they not return~~

  
Lily secretly crying in Bathilda’s living room after another member had died 

 

Lily begging her husband to take care of himself on missions

  
Lily being glad the cat could not talk or it would surely spit out her deepest, darkest secrets

  
Lily seeing Narcissa with her child wondering if she struggled just the same

  
Lily seeing her husband grow restless locked in at home and being absolutely unable to do anything about it

  
Lily’s motherly instincts telling her to stay away from certain Order members (e.g. Mundungus)

   
Lily and James taking all precautions to ensure that Harry will be safe (e.g. set up a will, make Sirius godfather)

  
Lily growing more suspicious of the Order’s activities after she’d heard that Dumbledore was in league with Grindelwald

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Home Front | A First Wizarding War Headcanon](https://lippskinn.tumblr.com/post/183965337947/home-front-a-first-wizarding-war-headcanon)

**Author's Note:**

> [Why we’re not staying for Christmas | Order of the Phoenix Headcanon](https://lippskinn.tumblr.com/post/173890493902/why-were-not-staying-for-christmas-order-of-the)


End file.
